AFC Notes: Will Anderson, Anthony Richardson, Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Colts QB Anthony Richardson had a terrific start to his NFL career but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5. Indianapolis HC Shane Steichen wants to find the balance between Richardson making aggressive plays with his legs and protecting himself. 

“I mean, it’s just being smart on when to get down,” Steichen said, SI.com’s Albert Breer. “It’s a happy medium. There’s a time and a place where it’s fourth down and you gotta have it and the game’s on the line, where you gotta go get it. But if it’s first-and-10 and you scramble and you can make it second-and-4 and take a big hit or make it second-and-6 and get down, Hey, let’s make it second-and-6.”

Jaguars

Jaguars RB coach Jerry Mack said the game is beginning to slow down for RB Tank Bigsby going into the second year of his career and he has a better understanding of his role in their offense. 

“Just a refocus. I think he understood last year, being new to the National Football League, everything was extremely fast for him,” Mack said, via Juston Lewis of Jacksonville.com. “I think now things are starting to slow down for him. He understands his role in this offense. He’s understanding the ins and outs of the offense a lot better as well.”

Mack thinks Bigsby’s confidence took a hit last season and “revitalized his attitude” this offseason. 

“I think when you first start, it’s about confidence. And I think he lacked some of the confidence because of the struggles that he had last year,” Mack said. “He came in this offseason with a revitalized type of attitude and his mindset is totally different. He wants to be great. He wants to be successful.”

Mack reiterated that Bigsby has been very impressive so far. 

“He [had] an opportunity to kind of sit back last year, see exactly what this league is all about,” Mack said. “And he’s been great so far this offseason, just the way he’s attacked every single day.”

Texans

Texans DE Will Anderson was a huge part of the team’s drastic turnaround in 2023 after being selected third overall and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson detailed his offseason with no days off and described his high hopes for their pass rush group. 

“What ‘no days off’ means to me, I would say, is every day is a productive day no matter what you’re doing,” Anderson said, via the Whistle. “Every day is a day that you’re getting 1 percent better.”

“Nobody is selfish in that room, we’re going to go out there and do our jobs. So that’s just what I envision, is just we’re all back there eating, everybody just causing havoc.”